Clavicle Piercing Healing Tips

Clavicle piercings are named after their
anatomical location, but are also often referred to as a Madison. A
Madison is a surface piercing that, while attractive, is often
temporary because it comes with a very high chance of rejection. As
opposed to a traditional nose or tongue piercing, a surface piercing
has both entrance and exit holes that go through a flat area of skin
such as the arm, leg or sternum. Corset piercings are one popular
type of surface piercing, and according to the BMEzine Encyclopedia,
"Most surface piercings fail, not because surface piercings are
impossible, but because there are a lot of totally incompetent
piercers out there that don't understand how the body heals." Most
uneducated body piercers will try to do surface piercings with the
straight or curved metal bars used in regular piercings.

This almost
always fails because the jewelry is so inflexible that it migrates
around the skin as it is rejected by the body, resulting in extreme
irritation and possible scarring. Because most corset piercings are
intended for play purposes only, they are usually removed after
several hours or days.

If you're interested in a permanent surface piercing, however, find
a reputable piercer who uses surface bars for the piercing.. Surface
bars are staple-shaped jewelry created especially for surface
piercings because their design promotes the body's natural healing
process. They are considered to be the only acceptable option for
surface piercings. Another, less recommended route is flexible
jewelry such as Tygon-based bars or Teflon tubing. Although these
types of jewelry are designed to move with the body and are intended
to decrease pressure on the wound, they are not as reliable as
surface bars. If you are getting pierced by an inexperienced
piercer, your surface piercing will almost always run the risk of
surface piercing rejection. Beginning on the outside and working
it's way in, surface piercing rejection is a result of the body
attempting to push out a foreign object in much the same way it
would a splinter.

There are some steps you can take to reduce the chances of
rejection. For example, placing a surface piercing on a part of the
body that often comes in contact with bra straps, waistbands or
belts will practically ensure failure due to the constant impact and
rubbing. Try to avoid getting a surface piercing on your hands,
forearms, shins or stomach. Keep piercings under two inches long to
allow for proper drainage, and place it on an area that does not
experience a lot of motion. BMEzine recommends drawing a line on
your skin where you want the piercing to go and then moving the area
as much as possible. If the line stays straight no matter how much
you contort your skin, then it's a viable location for a surface
piercing. Piercing on areas where the skin is tight is another bad
idea because this puts excessive pressure on the piercing. The
sternum piercing shown here is an example of this.

Piercing Aftercare

As this piercing is complex, it is important to take appropriate
aftercare to prevent any kind of scars as well as infection. The
total healing time required for this piercing is 6-8 weeks, however,
this will be different for every person. Nevertheless, it has been
observed that though the exit points of the piercing heals fast, it
actually takes a lot of time for the inner part of the piercing to
heal. Hence, one must take care of the piercing for a long time.
Just like all kinds of body piercings, the best way to help the
piercing to heal is to soak it in salt water solution. This should
be done at least 2 times everyday. Moreover, one should take extra
care to prevent any object from irritating it. For instance, things
like long hair, seat belt, tank tops are likely to irritate the
piercing and can cause bruising and sometimes infection too.

As you now know the risks and dangers associated with this kind of
piercing, you must take the decision of getting this piercing done
very carefully. Also, if you get the piercing done and observe any
signs of infection or excessive bleeding, consulting your doctor or
piercer immediately can save you from facing any kind of
complications.

Healing time for this particular piercing can take months, or it may
never heal at all. Pay close attention to your aftercare
instructions and cross your fingers. Do not hang anything from your
piercing; not even small charms.

What to avoid:

Changing the jewelry
Saunas, Pools, Sea etc
Wearing hats, unclean clothes
Taking off the jewelry for at least 3 weeks
Touching the piercing with dirty hands. Touching it will cause
bacteria to spread and pain.
If you believe you may have an infection, see a doctor or the person
that did your piercing.
Do not use rubbing alcohol to clean jewelry while it is in your ear
as it will irritate the area.